Three Words
by litromantic
Summary: Jess stays for Rory's graduation, tries to say all his goodbyes. Literati.


(Everything up to "Those are Strings, Pinocchio" has happened. The story starts right after Rory's graduation.)

Rory tried as hard as she could to grin and congratulate after the ceremony. Her mouth illustrated joy and optimism, but she did not feel it. Behind the grins, the handshakes, and the hugs, she could not help but remember what was not there. Every hug was not his; he would not be at any of the parties she was invited to. He was supposed to have his arm around her, looking sullen and sulky to outsiders but whispering congratulations in her ear. She knew she could not bring him back, but she could not help but feel the emptiness that was supposed to be Jess.

Finally she was with her mother, who saw the dark in her eyes. "You ready to go, hun?" Her voice was full of concern. Rory nodded.

"Please, if I have-" she was interrupted by her phone, vibrating in her purse. She furrowed her brow in curiosity. "Who would be calling me now?" Rory's mind skipped over the hopeless. Lorelai only shrugged, the look of concern still there. Rory pulled the phone out of her purse. It was a three-word text from an unknown number. "In the back."

She turned around; back to the chairs she was supposed to move on from, her heart beating so hard she could barely hear anything else. A dark head was in the last row of cold metal chairs, unmistakable.

"Hun?" Lorelai's voice attempted to bring her back, but Rory did not turn around.

"I um, I have to take this call. I'll meet you in the front in the minute" She threw the words behind her without thought. She started off, bringing the silent phone to her ear, pretending to speak into it until she did not care anymore.

Her heart beat faster, her legs moved faster. A blur of chairs, laughter and bodies. Then there she was. There he was, brown hair, brown eyes. Looking right at her. It felt strange, like a fairy tale. He had not left. It caught her off guard.

"Jess, you came!"

He put his hands in his pockets and nodded. "I promised."

"I thought-"

"I love you Rory." He let it out in one breath, those three words.

Rory felt a surge in her chest as the words reached her ears, a tingle touching all her nerves. She realized she forgot to breathe. Inhaled oxygen, tried to get her brain working, but the sound of their silence was so loud. Rory finally found the words, the words she hoped were right.

"I-" But jess held up his hand to stop her.

"I love you. I can't know if you love me, not now." She did not think she had ever been more confused. Why would he say that? They were going to be happy now, they were. He was here, they were going to work it out, and they were going to be okay.

He took a deep breath-she knew confessions like these were near impossible for him. He looked up from the ground, his eyes intense.

"I can't be here now. I can't be here for you,"

"What? No, no we can work on it. We can work it out, I can help you!" She could not help but feel like her heart was being torn away from her.

He shook his head and her eyes stung.

"Of all the people I've met Rory, you are the only one I care about. I know we're meant to be together. Just..just not now." He moved closer as she lowered her head, he held her face, rubbed out the tear gently with his thumb and spoke softly. "You can't depend on me. You deserve Yale, and newspaper and disgusting fancy dinners with disgusting, fancy people. Not-" He sighed. "Not me." He sounded like he meant it.

The tears kept coming down her face regardless of his words, and she looked up at him, crushed.

"But I want you." Rory swore she saw Jess's eyes glisten at her weak, defeated voice. "I want to be with you, now!" Only his eyes spoke, he kissed her on the fore head and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I love you." He said the words again, quiet and soothing. Rory's hands grabbed at his face, her mouth grabbed for his, and she could taste tears in their kiss. He pulled her into his arms, and she grabbed at his back, trying to hold on to the moment, make it last forever. But he pulled away, pulled her fairy tale apart. She saw strange tears on his face now, and she started to sob.

"Don't-don't go Jess. Please, Jess, don't go, I need you." Her cries were desperate. Besides the increased production of tears exploring Jess's strong face, they were fruitless. He stepped backwards, leaving her arms reaching out for him.

"I'm going to figure things out. I promise. I'll be back." He said in a cracked and broken voice. He turned around and slowly walked away, leaving her hole seem complete.

"I love you, Jess" she yelled after him in a moment of truth and feeling. He stopped at her voice, she could see his head bow down, his arm move, his shoulders move. A moment passed, and he still did not turn back. Rory was sure he was lost. Her head fell into her hands and she tried to tell herself to stop crying, that he would be back. But she did not know, she knew she did not know. The tears dampened the cloth on her arms, salted her hands.

Suddenly someone else's hands were holding her face, warm and familiar hands.

"I knew I couldn't leave if you told me."

Rory's laugh broke her sob.

"We can work it out," She told him.

Jess laughed now.

"I don't have a place to stay."

Rory's smile broke her tears.

"We'll figure it out."

Jess took her into his arms, and he held her in a world of hope. Rory's eyes closed, breathing in his warm scent.

"It's not going to be easy." Jess breathed out.

"As long as its us, I don't think it matters."

---Finis. ----


End file.
